


Four of a Kind

by Evekle



Category: Ocean's Eleven Trilogy (Movies)
Genre: Danny has clowned, From that poker scene, Gen, Introspection, New beginnings? Sorta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29326719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evekle/pseuds/Evekle
Summary: “What’s this?” Rusty Ryan says instead, annoyance colouring every word.“Well,” he explains with the most charming smile he can muster. “The bouncer mentioned there was a game in progress. I hope I’m not intruding.”Oh, he’s definitely crashing this game.~~In which Danny crashes a poker game only to turn a new page.
Relationships: Danny Ocean & Rusty Ryan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	Four of a Kind

Danny Ocean considers himself a relatively good people reader. 

It’s why he’s absolutely terrified at Rusty’s unreadable expression as he surveys the poker table. Sure, it’s been a while since their last meeting but everything should be fine now. A familiar dread casts over him as he tries to get a read on the room.

“What’s this?” Rusty Ryan says instead, annoyance colouring every word. 

“Well,” he explains with the most charming smile he can muster. “The bouncer mentioned there was a game in progress. I hope I’m not intruding.” 

Oh, he’s  _ definitely  _ crashing this game. 

“No intrusion at all--” 

“What was his name, the bouncer’s?” 

Danny shrugs. He doesn’t miss how Rusty clenches his fists for a moment. 

“I don’t remember.” 

“A card player with amnesia,” Rusty deadpans. “This should be fun.” 

-

Card dealing has never been nerve wrecking in the worst sense. Rusty’s expressions are completely unreadable, and Danny isn’t sure if this is a step forward or a step back. Life is a chessboard; they've both been cheating their way through the rules. 

Poker however, needs collaboration of both parties. There’s many things a charming smile can buy but not the key to winning in a game like this. 

All Danny can hope for is something decent. 

“So what do you do for a living, Mr. Ocean?” one of them asks, genuine confusion in his voice.

“Why should I mind? Two cards please.” 

An ace and a nine. It could be worse. 

There’s a beat. 

“I just got out of prison,” he admits. 

“Really?” 

Another pause. Shit, maybe he’s scaring the poor kid, not that he’ll remember by the end of this game. 

“Barry, you’re showing again.” 

Rusty’s voice cuts through the silence like another chess piece set in motion. 

“What’d you, uh, go to prison for?” the young man is gripping his cards hard enough that his knuckles are turning white. 

“I stole things.” 

“Like jewels, diamonds?” 

The cat’s out of the bag, he glances at Rusty with the most calm face he can muster. Never has he seen his partner in crime look so tired. It’s only now that he notices the slouched shoulders, the eye bags and the frustration rolling off in waves.

Two more cards. 

Two nines. 

Now  _ that’s  _ certainly something he can work with. A plan is already forming in his mind, the pieces falling together. Now, it may be terrible and Rusty may lose his job but it might be worth it. 

It also might not, not that Danny extrapolates on that thought. 

“Incan matrimonial head masks,” Rusty fills in for him. 

“From a museum?” 

“Gallery.”

The exchange continues, Danny leaving holes out just for Rusty to fill them again. It seems like no matter how much time they spend apart, the dance is as simple as breathing.

“Is there any money in those head masks?” 

“Some,” Danny chimes in with a smile. 

“Only if you can move them,” Rusty adds in. “Which you can’t.” 

He resists the urge to roll his eyes. “My fence seemed confident enough.” 

“Yeah and if you’re dealing with cash, you don’t  _ need  _ a fence.”

“Some people lack vision.” 

“Probably everyone in cell block E,” Rusty retorts dryly. Ouch. 

For a moment, he spares a glance at his cards. Of course, he gets the last nine from the deck. 

The final piece in the puzzle. 

“Well I hope that it’s all behind us now.” 

“I should hope so.” 

This is his chance. They need to talk after all. 

He does the smart thing and raises the bet as the others fall into the familiar lull of security. The dread curling around his hands seems to evaporate as he stares at the four of a kind. It’s a gift from Rusty. 

It may not seem like much. 

But it’s a step forward. 

Another piece in the game of chess is a leap for Danny. There’s so much to repair, so much to do with so  _ little  _ time. 

Surely it will be worth it. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  


**Author's Note:**

> *waves* I should've written for this fandom a long time ago and I love my heists so hi y'all. Please accept this fic I wrote in an hour. 
> 
> Yell with me about fandom (mostly musketeers atm but I'm multifandom, I swear) here: 
> 
> Tumblr: evekle   
> Discord: EliNLE #2838


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